7th Pay Commission Agitation: Mizoram employees on mass casual leave

Aizawl: Employees of all departments under Mizoram government began a three-day mass casual leave agitation yesterday demanding immediate implementation of the 7th Central Pay Commission’s recommendations in the state.

The agitation was called by Federation of Mizoram Government Employees and Workers (FMGE&W) following the government’s failure to fulfill its demand after observing two-day pen down strike on 22 and 23 November last. Activities in all government offices came to a complete halt as all the employees did not turn up to office and stayed away from work.

Ministers also did not attend offices as the employees in their respective personal branches were absent.

Meanwhile, state finance minister Lalsawta expressed regrets that the employees went ahead with their decision to go on strike despite the government’s appeal to call off.

He said that the government intended to implement the seventh pay commissions’ recommendations.

“We want to fulfill the demand of the employees and chief minister Lal Thanhawla had even recommended the implementation of the central pay panel recommendation. We can’t say when, but we will implement it, and has set up a committee in this regard,” he said.

Terming the agitation spearheaded by FMGE and W as unfortunate, Lalsawta said “We appealed them to not go ahead with their decision for mass casual leave. But it is unfortunate that they went ahead with agitation.”

He said that the chief minister was in favour of implementation of the central government’s 7th pay commission recommendation and the state government has been waiting for the report and recommendation of the Pay Implementation Committee headed by former finance minister and the current vice chairman of the State Planning Board H Liansailova.

The state Cabinet on October 25 decided to form a committee on 7th Pay Commission’s recommendations with state planning board vice-chairman H. Liansailova as chairman, MoS KS Thanga and former finance secretary Lalthangsanga as member and taxation commissioner Vanlalchhuanga as member secretary. Following this the committee was constituted and was asked to submit its report within six months of its formation.

Lalsawta said that the committee may not take six months thought it was given six month time to submit its report.

“We are not sure when will the committee submit its report. It may not need to wait for six months as the committee would submit its report as soon as it finish its work,” he said.

Co-Editor, Zoramobserver.com. Mr. Khojol is a journalist based in Aizawl, Mizoram. He writes for various national and regional media houses. In his free time, he can be caught reading books and watching movies.